Author: Ian Church in: Quality Management
Many machining and fabrication shops run Gage R&R to satisfy customers or auditors.
The study gets completed. The file gets saved. Nothing changes on the floor.
Scrap continues. Operators disagree on measurements. Quality argues with production.
Gage R&R exists to prevent these problems. When you treat it like compliance paperwork, you lose the value.
Every inspection decision depends on measurement quality. Bad measurement hides real process issues. Good measurement exposes them.
Gage R&R answers three questions:
Does the gage repeat results?
Do operators measure parts consistently?
Does measurement error overwhelm process variation?
If you do not trust the measurement, you cannot trust SPC, capability studies, or inspection results. Would you rather catch a measurement issue early and fix it or wait until you need to scrap an entire run?
OEMs and standards do not care about spreadsheets. They care about decision quality.
They require Gage R&R because:
Measurement error drives false rejects.
Measurement error hides real defects.
Measurement error causes wasted process changes.
Measurement error fuels conflict between teams.
Passing an audit does not fix these problems.
Shops fall into predictable patterns. Does this sound like you?
Studies run once per year.
Same operators get reused.
Same parts get reused.
Results never change.
Findings never drive action.
The audit passes. The floor sees no improvement. Root causes show up fast.
No trigger to rerun studies
No ownership beyond audit prep
No link to training or gage condition
No system to track history
Maybe you passed the audit. But does your quality and predictability really reflect the results of your pencil whipping exercise?
Effective shops treat Gage R&R as an operational tool. They rerun studies when risk changes. There are a number of triggers including:
New gage
New operator
Process change
Material change
Customer escalation
They act on results.
Repair or replace unstable gages
Adjust inspection plans
Train operators with high variation
Revisit tolerances tied to weak measurement
They focus effort where it matters.
Improve decision quality
Avoid chasing false process problems
Manual Gage R&R relies on discipline alone. Discipline breaks under pressure. If you could rely on people and memory alone, you likely would not still be reading this article!
Software supports consistent execution.
Standardized study setup
Repeatable workflows
Clear ownership
Historical results tied to context
Software reduces friction.
No searching for old spreadsheets
No guessing when studies expired
No recreating audit evidence
Dedicated quality tools handle statistics and analysis. The best tools are point solutions that are laser focused on Gage R&R. They typically take care of:
Gage R&R calculations
Study variation analysis
Statistical reporting
These tools excel at analysis. They should continue doing so. For anyone already leveraging these best-in-class tools, our recommendations is that you should continue to do so, and integrate your schedule and results into your ERP and broader IT ecosystem.
ERP manages context and execution.
ERP supports Gage R&R by:
Tracking gages and revisions
Linking gages to parts and operations
Tracking operators and training status
Triggering studies based on change
Preserving results for audits
Connecting measurement quality to production data
ERP software does not typically replace specialist tools. Rather, a great ERP solution keeps the discipline active between audits.
When Gage R&R becomes compliance work, problems stay hidden.
Scrap persists
Inspection disputes continue
Rework increases
Trust in data erodes
When Gage R&R becomes an improvement tool, measurement drives better decisions.
Quality improves. Process changes target real issues. Audits become easier because the work already exists.
For more information about how OnRamp ERP software can add value to your business fill in the contact form below. A member of our support team will contact you within 1 business day to discuss any questions you have.
Start the collaboration with us while figuring out the best solution based on your needs.
Our efforts began as an internal project of Mancor Industries when we identified the need for a more cohesive ERP system to manage the complexity of multiple plants, multiple products, multiple customers and multiple functions.
Read MoreHas your business outgrown a patchwork of disconnected systems? This checklist helps you assess readiness, identify gaps, and prepare for a smooth transition.
